Friday, November 20, 2009 East Central Illinois

White sentenced to additional 12 years for sex abuse

By: Mary Schenk

E-mail Story Printer-friendly

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

BLOOMINGTON – A McLean County judge this morning added another 12 years to the 48 that former grade school teacher Jon White has already received for bizarre games he played with students for his own sexual gratification.

White, 27, who most recently lived in Villa Grove with his parents, pleaded guilty in McLean County in February to two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse for acts that happened with two girls, then 6 and 7, while he was a teacher at Colene Hoose Elementary School in Normal between Oct. 1, 2004, and April 30, 2005.

His sentencing hearing in Bloomington started Monday and wrapped up this morning. Members of eight of the girls' families and Champaign County State's Attorney Julia Rietz were present for much of Monday's testimony. Several returned this morning as well.

The same day White pleaded guilty to the McLean County charges he also pleaded guilty in Champaign County Circuit Court to eight counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse for acts that happened between August 2005 and December 2006 with eight girls while he was a teacher at Thomas Paine Elementary School in Urbana.

White was sentenced earlier this month by Champaign County Judge Harry Clem to 48 years in prison, eight years shy of the maximum he could have received.

Other Jon White stories